Thursday, October 29, 2009

Our Invisible C.M.

Phir Wohi Din Aaye….

Maharashtra has a new C.M. – well, a recycled one. Congratulations Ashok Chavan! Now, will you kindly stand up and be counted?? We, the people of this city would really like to get to know you. At least, a little. We barely recognize you since you have not taken the trouble to interact with the aam aadmi and aam aurat of Mumbai. I have frequently called you the Invisible C.M. – not to put you down, but to galvanise you into engaging with the public.You seem like an affable chap, and clearly ‘Madam’ is pleased with you. But is that enough? Why not please us also? It is important for the chief minister of any state to reach out to its people and familiarize them with plans and blueprints for progress – assuming they exist in the first place. Madam clearly trusts you, and has astutely provided a second chance . Establish your credentials immediately. Your predecessor was an ever- smiling, cheerful bloke who had gone flat out to court Mumbai. Never mind that when Mumbai most needed him ( 26\11), he wasn’t around. Or, at any rate, what came through was ineptness and delayed reactions. His ‘terror tour’ of the hotel lobby, accompanied by a movie man, finally did him in. After that, his fate was sealed. Not that it mattered – he made it to Delhi. And now claims he is perfectly happy being there. The point is, Vilasrao Deshmukh knew the art of making friends and winning people ( maybe he had read Dale Carnegie in a marathi translation ). His social diary was more crowded than a Page 3 perennial, and those who had interacted with him, invariably came away praising his people skills. You, on the other hand, remain an unknown entity. Granted, nine months in office earlier, were not enough to establish yourself. But come on… you are a second generation politician. Your late father, S.B.Chavan, was an astute politician and Congress stalwart. You have a natural advantage and headstart. You are young (51), educated (science graduate with an MBA attached). You’ve been in active politics since your Youth Congress days. You’ve even worked in Vilasrao’s cabinet as a minister for industries and cultural affairs. You are no green horn or novice. So… get on with it. The people’s mandate is with your party. There are no excuses and escape routes. You have a free hand to lead the state out of its present mess. That’s your job description. You have your 52nd birthday coming up this week. The people of Maharashtra wish you well. You have made the right noises after your appointment by stating, “…. now in the golden jubilee year of the state, we want to reach the top. That too in a time bound manner.” The operative words here are ‘time -bound’. We are going to hold you to that promise. We will be waiting and watching very closely this time. You may have delivered seats in the election for Madam, for which you are being richly rewarded. So it goes in politics - no issues. But your time starts now. You have also said you want to keep Maharashtra’s flag flying high. It is long overdue.Just as you have declared ‘time-bound’ programmes for our state, we, its beleaguered citizens are also giving you a ‘time- bound’ period to prove yourself. We want action. We want it now. We know, Maharashtra isn’t an instant pizza. But we also know politicians make tall claims. This time, mere words won’t do. Deliver – or we get our money back. Just like with ‘late arrival’ pizzas. Good luck. And Happy Birthday. ***********************I have just come back after watching 'This is It'. This really is it, you know. And I get the eerie feeling MJ knew it, too. The man is extraordinary , hypnotic and rivetting. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen for even a micro second. We are so lucky to get this rare and precious glimpse into a top class professional's preparations for a concert. It shows a person not just dedicated to the highest standards of his musical gifts, but someone who understands every small nuance of that mighty industry we call 'entertainment'. No detail is too small for MJ's critical eyes and ears. When he urges his back -up singers to 'nurture the music', you can sense his tenderness. Or when he asks his musicians to 'bathe the tracks in moonlight', perform 'with love' you understand the poet in him. He looks just amazing - lithe and beautiful. And filled with divine energy. He certainly does not give the impression that he is sickly or pumped up with drugs. MJ NEED NOT HAVE DIED! What a tragic waste of such supreme talent. What also comes through is his generosity of spirit and immense grace. He encourages a slightly overawed lead guitarist to take centrestage and ' shine' , since it is her moment! He constantly thanks the team and applauds the efforts put in by even the lowliest technicians. 'God bless you', he repeats, each time someone does something well. Goodness and love radiate from his being. And so does his genius.Even though he was working with the world's top choreographers, he knew precisely which dance moves he wished to make - he knew instinctively when to pause, when to linger, and how to maximise a dramatic moment. There is much to learn from MJ.It made me wonder whether we have anyone of his calibre with the same level of commitment and perfectionism. To watch MJ rehearse is to understand and appreciate the magic of the 'one and only'. God bless him.

25 comments:

Musical glamorous magician& of course The King of Pop Michael Jackson - Love you. No matter you are present or not, no matter you are visible or not, you are within for always forever. We in tears because we miss the best.:.(

Very rightly said- "The Invisible CM:) ".But in the times to come we positively look forward to an even more prospering Maharashtra and an Invincible CM. Maharastra doesnt count merely for Maharastrians but it also counts for the billion plus Super Indians who earn their livelihood out of this ultra urbunised and modernised state. As you mentioned in your blog that the bloke happens to have great potential to handle a haphazard state like Maharastra, I hope your words turn out to be true....of course in a "time bound" manner!!..Touchwood.

Madam Ms. De,I am sorry to use this platform to vent mine and my few friends dissatisfaction at the treatment meted out to some of us delegates at the inauguration ceremony of the 'MAMI international Film Festival'. We have joined as ordinary delegates for the Film Festival and have got our delegate cards. Today (29th October 2009) was Opening Ceremony and the Inauguration film 'The Informant' by Stephen Soderbergh being held at Fun Republic Cinemas. The shows of the film were to be held at all the 4 screens of the venue. On reaching the venue we were not allowed to enter the halls as our delegate cards were not valid for attending the ceremonies. There were special invites that entitled you to enter the venues, which I believed were distributed to privileged VVIP’s and VIP’s. This was fine with us as we were only interested in watching the movie and not the other opening ceremony festivities. Now, in the past in all the Film Festivals that I have attended, and, I have attended quite a few, it has been the norm to allow all the delegates into the auditorium once the Opening Ceremony festivities are over. Once the opening festivities are over the auditoriums empty out as the VVIP's, VIP's and also a lot of other invitees leave the auditorium as they are not interested in watching the film. Only the Genuine film lovers stay behind. And, the people outside who are waiting to the view the movies are then allowed inside. In fact in some festivals repeat screenings are held for the delegates. However, here at the MAMI international festival, we were not allowed inside. The hefty & burly security guards did not allow us in and on questioning were totally clueless. There was nobody of authority from the managing side of 'MAMI' or 'Reliance Entertainment' to give instructions to the security guards to allow us inside. They were flatly refusing us entry while on the other side one could see the hordes of the original invitees leaving the venue. After standing outside the venues for almost two and half hours, with disgust we left for our home (at 9.30 PM) with a sad bitter taste. It is a pity as I am sure the auditoriums must have been half empty. This is what happens when genuine film lovers make their way for commercial giants. There should have been proper instructions and management at least for this first inauguration film. I am sure a lot of left out delegates must have felt the same way. Do not know who is the loser? Definitely the lovers of good cinema who just want to watch good world cinema at the end of the day. I wonder what Stephen Soderbergh would think if he hears of our experience. Well, the only silver lining is that i believe the film will be commercially released next month and we have planned to see it then by buying tickets. If nothing else at least the producers, distributers and Mr. Soderbergh will be happy that some people genuinely contributed to the bottom line of the movie. But, a very sad and bad taste is left in our mouth at this inaugural experience. Hope we have better days ahead. We dread that the same thing will happen at the Closing Ceremony of the festival.Thanks and Regards,Samindra Das, Mumbai, India, 29th October 2009, 10.20pm.

Super stuff, Shobha De. Love your razor sharp, quick-witted style. Last week, it was Raj Thackrey, and now Ashok Chavan. You are truly unbiased. Glad to have journalists like you who don't blink before pulling down pants of anyone...just anyone | Vicky Solanki

i am young, well almost ..27... and i need your support. im writing a book ..and its all raw n true and i wanna keep it like that only. i like writing ... iv been writing whatever i experience .. i experienced love... and it was taken away from me .. and im writing a freaking comedy on it. but all facts ... i want ur help is gauging wthr it deserves to be published or not .. by the way .. i run a design firm in delhi...hope to get a response... cheers...

After reading your write-up on MJ, I feel so nostalgic as I remember those days when I was a kid and I knew of only one foreign pop star and that was MJ.He was a phenomenal star and no one stands in comparison to him. I am just happy about one thing that he is being given the love and respect that he so rightly deserved, that had got lost in the mist of unnecessary controversies.

I just finished downloading a Safari browser, on which I haven't yet bookmarked this blog. So I started typing on Google search the string "shob..." and then, wow! I was presented with tons of suggestions relating to "Shobhaa De"... Are you kidding me? I had no idea you were a writer and a star! Poor me! I thought I knew everything Indian contemporary after experiencing A Suitable Boy, Slumdog Millionaire, and a few Bollywood flicks! Avec tous mes respects, Madame.

OMG! Kisine mere mann ki baat cheen li....! Mr Deshmukh paid penalty of just what happened at 9/11. Otherwise, he was real man of respect. He was someone who actually got involved in making Maharastha out of marathwada,you knw!

Mr.Chawan seems to be anonther Manmohan singh, as you said - 'madam'!.Chawan is under guidance of madam, trying to secure respect for congress..THAT IS IT!

THAT IS IT title at present suits to Mr. Chawan. But yes, honestly, chawan has not done anything that good, or bad! he is surely a piece of monument for both goverment & local Janta. Moreover, he is on his honeymoon time for next 5 years, lets pray that if cant do anything good, nothing bad should happen as well.

Its you who feel so...No AAM is sucked since six decades...Its no one else but we, we who are responsible. ANyways, these ministers are the ones who made india in this six decades, god knws how, but they did.

Do u knw Mr. Bush favored a place for security counsil to india? and you knw why it happened...it happened bcoz of these ministers.

Shankarrao Chavan, the CM at the time, carried Sanjay Gandhi's chappals.At least Mrs. G was the PM AND a towerring personality - not that it would've justified carrying her chappals!But to stoop so low as to carry the chappals of a mere MP and a thuggish one at that spoke of unmentionable sycophancy.And Mr. Chavan (Sr) had no issues or after thoughts. His reputation as a good administrator will forever be tainted with this stupid act.And lets add to the current CM Mr Chavan's account:- Hosting a "holy" man like Sathya Sai Baba at his official residence at the expense of the public exchequer when you are an office bearer of a secular country and a leader of a secular party- Allowing the Nanded Municipality to light up the city for 5 (five!) days at public expense to celebrate your bday. When the entire state is reeling under power cuts

I, for one, wouldn't mind a chief minister who talks less and works more.

As for the MJ movie, the clever editing job seems to have impressed you a lot. A version closer to the truth would obviously also have shown a haggard and weak man, propped up by drugs, besides the brilliant artiste.

Shobha , I wonder what your age is ? If you have some idea about what is going in ....you realize that Mr Raj Thackery is nothing more than a Pimp for Congress Party. Raj Thackery is the creation of Congress. He has no ideals other than , swing the Shiv Sena Vote to his side so that congress can break the Saffron Stronghold created by Sena. Raj Thackery is a man without principles. He has not muscle of his own . All he can do is talk some gaffe and leave. That is not what a man does - that is what Hijras do .If you hear the nuances of his speech , you can infer in between the lines , that he is here to protect moslem interests. What he really is doing is taking the Saffron front away from anti-nationals and moslems which Shiv Sena had at least apparently done ( but in depth there is a hate love relationship with Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray and Gangsters too as evidenced by the meeting of javed miadad and bal thackeray . midad is the son in law of gangster dawood ibrahim. ) and directed it against north indians.If you have Seen God Father Part 3. Raj Thackery EXACTLY FITS the role of Joey Zasa, a pimp for somebody more ulterior - the congress party.If at all you want to hit out - Hit out at Congress. That is the SOURCE of all the mischief. I wont be surprised if the death of the 3 DCP's ( on 26/11 ) including Kharkare was with full awareness of moslems - congress politicians.HERE IS THE FINAL FLOW CHART OF HOW POWER WHICH WAS ONCE USED TO COUNTER THE ANTI NATIONAL MOSLEM POPULACE HAS BEEN DIVERTED,MUCH LIKE SACHIN WOULD SIMPLY DO A "WRISTY" FLICK OF A PACE BOWLER'S, DELIVERY.

DAWOODS KEEPS 90% OF HIS BOLLYWOOD SPOILS IN HIS POCKET TO BE USED FOR VARIOUS ANTI- US / ANTI ISRAEL / ANTI INDIA ACTIVITIES LIKE WHAT HAPPENED ON 26/11, TALIBAN AND EVEN 9/11, IRAN NUKE ETC ---> SOME 10% MONEY GOES TO CONGRESS POLITICANS TO BUY THEM OUT ---> MOSLEM IMANS IN INDIA ALWAYS CAHOOTS WITH PAKISTANI'S SAY PAKI - "SHIV SENA HAS MADE OUR LIFE MISERABLE, BY QUESTIONING ALL ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES, DRIVING OUT UR VOTE BANK OF ILLEGAL BANGLADESI'S ...THACKERAY IS ASKING FOR TOO MUCH MONEY AND CUT IN OUR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES ..AND TOP OF THAT HE KEEP WAVING THE HINDUTAVA FLAG.. AND CHARGES THE PEOPLE AGAINST OUR MOSLEM BROTHER MARTYRS..HERE KEEP THIS MONEY. MR CHAVAN ..MR ANTULAY....SOMEHOW YOU ( CONGRESS ) SHOULD WIN....DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BREAK THE SENA STRONGHOLD "

CONGRESS "DON'T WORRY SAHAAB.....WE ALREADY HAVE 1 OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WANTING TO DISSENT. WE CAN USE HIM TO GET INTO THE SENA VOTEBANK AND HE WILL DIRECT ALL THE GUNS TOWARDS HINDUS ....AND WHILE ALL THAT HAPPENS ..YOU MOSLEMS WILL BE SAFE WITH UR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES..BECAUSE NOW MARATHA VOTE BANK IS DIRECTED AGAINST HINDUS ( NORTH INDIANS )... LET ME INTRODUCE TO RAJ THACKERY ..."..."RAJ , WE WILL GIVE U MONEY AND SUPPORT TO BREAK AWAY FROM SENA . START UR PARTY....I CAN GUARANTEE U THAT IF YOU , SUCCEED IN USING SENA TACTICS AGAINST THE SENA AND EAT AWAY THEIR VOTE, AND THEN SUPPORT US IN THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS..WE WILL MAKE YOU CM OF MAHARASHTRA " RAJ ...." I NEED CUT OF SO MANY 100 CRORES , TO FINANCE MY PARTY, GET HOLD OF MISCREANTS/ GOONDAS, AND GIVE PUBLICITY TO MY NAME"....CONGRESS " DONT WORRY DAWOOD OVER HERE HAS OILED ME WITH ENOUGH MONEY..CONSIDER IT DONE" ....

BEER BOTTLES OPEN. SOME CALL GIRLS START DANCING AND THE 3 TOAST TO THE NEW DEAL.THIS IS A MINIATURE ENACTMENT OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENED . WHY RAJ IS WHERE HE IS ....

IT IS NOT SOMETHING COMMENDABLE OR INTELLIGENT . JUST TELLS YOU THE LEVEL TO WHICH CONGRESS PARTY WOULD REALLY GO,COUNTER ITS OPPONENTS.BTW : AS AGAINST RAJ UDDHAV SEEMS TO BE A VERY PEACEFUL, ON THE GROUNDS, MAN. UDHAV == "MOVING ARM" AND RAJ == "MOVING TONGUE" ONLY ( LIKE OTHER CONGRESS HIJRAAS )

DAWOODS KEEPS 90% OF HIS BOLLYWOOD SPOILS IN HIS POCKET TO BE USED FOR VARIOUS ANTI- US / ANTI ISRAEL / ANTI INDIA ACTIVITIES LIKE WHAT HAPPENED ON 26/11, TALIBAN AND EVEN 9/11, IRAN NUKE ETC ---> SOME 10% MONEY GOES TO CONGRESS POLITICANS TO BUY THEM OUT ---> MOSLEM IMANS IN INDIA ALWAYS CAHOOTS WITH PAKISTANI'S SAY PAKI - "SHIV SENA HAS MADE OUR LIFE MISERABLE, BY QUESTIONING ALL ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES, DRIVING OUT UR VOTE BANK OF ILLEGAL BANGLADESI'S ...THACKERAY IS ASKING FOR TOO MUCH MONEY AND CUT IN OUR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES ..AND TOP OF THAT HE KEEP WAVING THE HINDUTAVA FLAG.. AND CHARGES THE PEOPLE AGAINST OUR MOSLEM BROTHER MARTYRS..HERE KEEP THIS MONEY. MR CHAVAN ..MR ANTULAY....SOMEHOW YOU ( CONGRESS ) SHOULD WIN....DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BREAK THE SENA STRONGHOLD "

CONGRESS "DON'T WORRY SAHAAB.....WE ALREADY HAVE 1 OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WANTING TO DISSENT. WE CAN USE HIM TO GET INTO THE SENA VOTEBANK AND HE WILL DIRECT ALL THE GUNS TOWARDS HINDUS ....AND WHILE ALL THAT HAPPENS ..YOU MOSLEMS WILL BE SAFE WITH UR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES..BECAUSE NOW MARATHA VOTE BANK IS DIRECTED AGAINST HINDUS ( NORTH INDIANS )... LET ME INTRODUCE TO RAJ THACKERY ..."..."RAJ , WE WILL GIVE U MONEY AND SUPPORT TO BREAK AWAY FROM SENA . START UR PARTY....I CAN GUARANTEE U THAT IF YOU , SUCCEED IN USING SENA TACTICS AGAINST THE SENA AND EAT AWAY THEIR VOTE, AND THEN SUPPORT US IN THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS..WE WILL MAKE YOU CM OF MAHARASHTRA " RAJ ...." I NEED CUT OF SO MANY 100 CRORES , TO FINANCE MY PARTY, GET HOLD OF MISCREANTS/ GOONDAS, AND GIVE PUBLICITY TO MY NAME"....

BEER BOTTLES OPEN. SOME CALL GIRLS START DANCING AND THE 3 TOAST TO THE NEW DEAL.THIS IS A MINIATURE ENACTMENT OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENED . WHY RAJ IS WHERE HE IS ....

IT IS NOT SOMETHING COMMENDABLE OR INTELLIGENT . JUST TELLS YOU THE LEVEL TO WHICH CONGRESS PARTY WOULD REALLY GO,COUNTER ITS OPPONENTS.BTW : AS AGAINST RAJ UDDHAV SEEMS TO BE A VERY PEACEFUL, ON THE GROUNDS, MAN. UDHAV == "MOVING ARM" AND RAJ == "MOVING TONGUE" ONLY ( LIKE OTHER CONGRESS HIJRAAS )

bingo canadaDAWOODS KEEPS 90% OF HIS BOLLYWOOD SPOILS IN HIS POCKET TO BE USED FOR VARIOUS ANTI- US / ANTI ISRAEL / ANTI INDIA ACTIVITIES LIKE WHAT HAPPENED ON 26/11, TALIBAN AND EVEN 9/11, IRAN NUKE ETC ---> SOME 10% MONEY GOES TO CONGRESS POLITICANS TO BUY THEM OUT ---> MOSLEM IMANS IN INDIA ALWAYS CAHOOTS

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